By Krzysztof Brzózka
Prologue: From PARPA’s Abolition to a New Draft Law – How Civil Society Put Alcohol Policy Back on Poland’s Agenda
In 2019, a political decision was made in Poland to abolish the independent State Agency for the Prevention of Alcohol-Related Problems (PARPA), which reported directly to the Minister of Health. The decision was implemented in 2022, when PARPA was merged with the National Bureau for Drug Prevention to form a new body, the National Center for Addiction Prevention (KCPU). Despite rising alcohol consumption and the growing harms and costs that came with it, alcohol policy was pushed to the sidelines of Polish politics, and neither the government nor elected officials responded adequately.
In response, civil society organizations and concerned citizens stepped in. Doctors who treat intoxicated patients in hospital emergency rooms and internal medicine wards played a crucial role. And so did journalists who documented tragic events and demanded change.
Public pressure grew as information came to light about the scale of the economic losses caused by alcohol, and – just as importantly – as the public reacted to a steady stream of new international research, published in leading medical journals, demonstrating the impact of alcohol on dozens of physical diseases. Debate in the Polish media amplified these studies and created real pressure on decision-makers.
Between 2019 and 2023, discussions on the need to improve alcohol policy took place mainly in the Polish Senate, the upper house of Parliament. They were driven by a succession of petitions submitted by citizens and NGOs calling for amendments to the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety (Poland’s framework law on alcohol).
The petitions called for, among other things:
- mandatory warning labels on alcoholic beverage packaging;
- a complete ban on alcohol advertising;
- a ban on promotional sales such as “buy six beers, get another six free”;
- a minimum price for a standard serving of alcohol;
- a nationwide ban on night-time alcohol sales (at present, such a ban can only be introduced by individual local governments);
- a ban on the sale of alcohol at petrol stations.
In the end, none of these proposals were adopted. The only changes that did go through were the abolition of PARPA and the adoption of a roadmap for alcohol excise tax increases. But those increases were so small that, despite high inflation, alcohol actually became more affordable.
The 2023 change of government and the appointment of a new Minister of Health marked a turning point. For the first time in years, Poland’s approach to alcohol policy was reassessed at the highest level of government and the initiative of modernising it, bringing it into line with contemporary public health evidence, moved back onto the political agenda.
On 12 March 2025, the government published a draft proposal to improve alcohol policy. It contained no particularly bold ideas, however, and drew heavy public criticism.
Following public consultations, a significantly improved draft was published on 10 October 2025 and resubmitted for comment. More than 300 organizations responded, including alcohol companies, but also civil society such as temperance, prevention, and recovery organizations, and members of the public.
This is the first in a three-part series by Krzysztof Brzózka on the fight for alcohol policy reform in Poland. Part two will look at two new proposals before the Polish Parliament; part three at the clash between the alcohol lobby and public health advocates.
About Our Guest Expert
Krzysztof Brzózka is the former Director of Poland’s State Agency for the Prevention of Alcohol-Related Problems (PARPA), the independent agency whose dismantling is described in this series.
A long-standing advocate for evidence-based alcohol policy, he is a leading voice and advocate for an effective and evidence-based response to alcohol harm in Poland.
You can follow Krzysztof’s work on Facebook.
